The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) ambassador to South Africa, Binene Mulaja Fidèle, was sent packing three years on the job after it was established that he has a questionable South African permanent residency.
A Sunday World investigation established that Fidèle was also v-listed (blacklisted) in South Africa for five years before he was nominated by Congolese President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo to be ambassador to South Africa on February 15, 2022.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been avoiding approving Fidèle’s credentials for years while the home affairs department was investigating how he acquired his permanent residency in South Africa.
“Fidèle has been living in South Africa for years and initially denied that he has residency here. As an ambassador, he needs to hold only one citizenship, that of his country. But home affairs investigations proved that he was economical with the truth,” a source within the diplomatic circles, who asked not to be named, said.
Deputy director-general at the Department of International Relations and Co-operation Clayson Monyela, yesterday confirmed that there was an issue with Fidèle and that it has since been resolved.
“DRC has nominated a new ambassador.
That fellow is no longer a factor. The investigation around him was done by home affairs,” Monyela said.
He added that one could not be an ambassador of a foreign country while they have citizenship or residency in South Africa.
“He has permanent residency in South Africa. Home affairs looked at how he secured his permanent residency, and he was cleared.
“What he needed to do next was to renounce his permanent residency if he was to qualify to be the ambassador of the DRC.
“We don’t know what happened in Kinshasa but the DRC has since nominated a different individual,” he explained.
Sources in the DRC claim president Tshisekedi only nominated Fidèle as the ambassador because he used to drive his father, Dr Etienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba, every time he visited South Africa.
“Fidèle made himself available to welcome and transport Étienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba and his family during their stay in South Africa, where some of them were even accommodated at his home.
“His appointment as ambassador to South Africa is based solely on his generosity towards the biological family of Tshisekedi wa Mulumba.”
Yesterday, home affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza confirmed that the department investigated Fidèle, but he declined to provide further details.
“The person you are referring to was investigated by home affairs.
“The outcome of that investigation was handed over to relevant parties.”
Officials from the DRC embassy failed to answer four questions sent to them yesterday, which included whether or not they confirm or deny that Fidèle has been recalled as DRC ambassador to South Africa as well as whether he was investigated by Home Affairs on how he acquired his permanent residency in South Africa.
An official from the embassy, who introduced himself as Célestin Mutonj, said Fidèle was only willing to meet this journalist face-to- face on Tuesday to answer those questions.
